The Fifth Doctor travelled with many companions, but none more strange than the robotic Kamelion. Kamelion was a shapeshifting robot that the Master stole from Xeriphas after the events of the Doctor Who story Time-Flight. In medieval England, the Master disguised Kamelion as King John in order to prevent the signing of Magna Carta and thereby disrupt the foundations of parliamentary democracy (The King’s Demons). Kamelion joined the TARDIS at the end of this adventure and travelled with the Fifth Doctor, Tegan and Turlough. However, Kamelion unfortunately came under the influence of the Master again on the volcanic Planet of Fire: Sarn. Kamelion shape-shifted into the Master in order to rescue him from being shrunk and trapped inside his own TARDIS.

The King’s Demons

★★☆☆☆

TX: 15–16/03/1983

Written by Terence Dudley   Directed by Tony Virgo

The Fifth Doctor, Tegan and Turlough arrive in Medieval England where they enjoy the company of King John who is due to sign the Magna Carta soon. After watching a jousting tournament, the Doctor suspects that something is afoot in King John’s court. One of King John’s knights, Sir Giles “Estram”, is actually the Master in disguise. The Master reveals to the Doctor that King John is in fact also a disguise for a shapeshifting robot called Kamelion that the Master acquired on Xeriphas. The Master intends to prevent the signing of Magna Carta and thereby prevent the foundations of parliamentary democracy from being laid. I support proportional representation as well as gender and ethnic parity in the UK Parliament. Voting should be compulsory in the UK, in addition to 16 year olds now being allowed to vote. Every citizen should also be required to pass a compulsory GCSE in politics before they are eligible to vote. A more educated population would produce more favourable outcomes in referendums and elections. Also, the US Electoral College should be abolished because it is an outdated anachronism. The Doctor fights the Master in a sword fight and the Master escapes in his TARDIS (disguised as an iron maiden). Kamelion joins Turlough, Tegan and the Doctor in the TARDIS. The Doctor suggests that they all need a rest and that they should travel to somewhere tranquil: the Eye of Orion. This story leads directly into the events of The Five Doctors.

Planet of Fire

★★★★☆

TX: 23/02/1984 – 02/03/1984

Written by Peter Grimwade   Directed by Fiona Cumming

The Fifth Doctor and Turlough are missing Tegan who departed in the previous story Resurrection of the Daleks. But, Kamelion begins to cry out in agony as an external force begins to take him over. The TARDIS lands in Lanzarote where Turlough rescues a young American woman called Peri from drowning. The Doctor returns to the TARDIS and he follows a signal to the volcanic planet of Sarn. However, Kamelion who has disguised himself as Peri’s stepfather Howard now disguises himself as the Master, who is Kamelion’s real controller. The Doctor and Turlough meet the primitive people of Sarn who worship the fictional god Logar. In reality, the history, culture and religion of Sarn is all Chinese whispers from the remains of a human expedition to the planet centuries ago, with human spacesuits being regarded as religious sacraments. Peri is captured by Kamelion (disguised as the Master) and he takes her to the Master’s TARDIS. Inside the Master’s TARDIS, Peri discovers that the Master has become miniaturised and is therefore trapped inside his own TARDIS, which is why he needs Kamelion’s help. Peri chases the tiny Master, but he hides. The corrupted Kamelion begs the Doctor to destroy him, which the Doctor reluctantly agrees to. The Doctor offers the Master absolution, but the Master (who hints at being the Doctor’s brother) prefers to perish in the flames of pure Numismaton gas. Turlough discovers that members of his own people from Trion came to Sarn a long time ago, as he recognises the Misos Triangle tattooed on his arm. A rescue ship from Trion arrives and takes him back to Sarn after saying goodbye to the Doctor and Peri. Peri, who is an exchange student, still has three months until she needs to return to Earth. So the Doctor offers to let Peri travel with him in the TARDIS, which she accepts.